German NGO ship Iuventa confiscated - Italian judge's order

Order linked to probe into aiding illegal immigration

(ANSAmed) - PALERMO, AUGUST 2 - Italian police and Coast
Guard authorities on Wednesday executed an order by a Trapani
judge for the preventative seizure of the Iuventa, a ship flying
the Dutch flag operating for the German NGO Jugend Rettet,
sources said.
The order is related to a probe into alleged aiding of
illegal immigration.
Jugend Rettet is one of several NGOs conducting migrant
rescues in the Mediterranean that refused to sign a new code of
conduct at the Italian interior ministry this week.

The European Commission has said that NGOs that do not sign
the code will not be guaranteed of access to Italian ports.

Earlier on Tuesday, Jugend Rettet said via Twitter that the
vessel "has not been confiscated" after it was stopped and
checked at the Italian island of Lampedusa.